The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-11-12
The Civilization OF Central Soudan.

In looking round we note the scru-
pulous cleanness of everything-the
Well-sWept yard, the Well-washed
earthen- ware, cooking pots, and other
kitchen utensils, tine daintily carved
calabashes of milk, water, and
variety of purposes. Here stands
part of tree followed into NOR
tar for pounding certain grains, and
there bedded coarse. grained stone,
on which the family meal is ground.
Everywhere are to be observed evi.
dences of the thrift and industry
which distinguish the Soudaneses
household. Unlike the domestic es.
Establishments of most Mohammedan
parts, there is no pampered laziness
or yOlupt IOus ease. Wife and slave
alike are busily engaged in household
duties, or work which will bring
money to the workers. Here is cot.
ton being leased and cleaned, then
with spindle and when turned into
thread. Food SINNERS or boils on
the fire in the various sav0ry, if oily,
dishes for which the Haussa women
are famous. We note that no heavy
or unwomanly tasks are laid upon the
females.
In the store-rooms and masters
apartments are to be seen a great
variety of objects heaped together or
lying about without any attempt at
order. Here may he found the own
er's weapons of war-many double
edged swords, with scabbards hand
s0mely ornamented with leather and
brass. and suspended by elaborate
and betasseled silk ropes. daggers in.
tended to be attached TO the wrist by
a leather band - the cross-shaped
handle when thus carried almost
lying in the palm of the hand-beau-
tifui long iron spears neatly and pref.
tily inlaid with brass bands, and gen.
orally barbed. revolyers and pistols
of the most obsolete types, as well as
flint-lock guns which look as if they
would be as dangerous to the user as
they could possibly he to an enemy.
Such are the offensive weapons. But
there are also to he seen war dresses
of enormously thick quilts, intended
specially as q protection against pois-
Oned arrows, The warrior when
encased in these cumbersome gar.
ments looks the most unwieldly and
war, numbers of other things lying
about in artistic disorder attract at
tention. Brass vessels are the most
conspicuous, and indicate manipu.
lative skill and an artistic taste which
we would certainly not expect in such
a country. The chief types of native
work are large circular saIvers or
trays, gl0bular vessels, others carafe.
like in form, urns resembling coffee.
pots. They are all deliberately orna.
mented. either in repousse or chased
in the intricate manner which char
acterizes Moorish art. Many of the
designs are most beautiful, and work.
ed out with patient care. In the
brass. workers. art, as in so many
other things. the influence Of North
African ideas is easily traceabie,
though how they have come to take
such fixed root in the Soudon il would
he difficult to say. Our wonder at
the quaint and effective WORK is en-
HANGED on learning that all these
vessels are hammered out of brass
rods, each two feet long and of the
thickness OF telegraph wire, in which
form it reaches these parts from
Europe,
The specimens of pottery which we
see lying about exhibit wonderful
skill in that industry, considering
that as yet they have not adopted
the pOtter's wheel. The most extra
ordinary objects. however, which al
tract our attention are the skin YES
sells for holding oil. In some way or